Gallatin Library Association
This association was first organized in 1875 and
incorporated under the laws of the State. Its object and aims were
social culture, and the raising of means for the purchase of
standard works for the purpose of establishing a circulating
library.
The meetings of the association were held semi-monthly, and for
nearly three years were kept up in the spirit in which the
association was inaugurated, and many interesting entertainments
were given. In the meantime a library of several hundred volumes had
been collected. In the fall of 1876, or rather on Monday night,
December 4th, the Library Association met at the court-house, Dr.
Dockery presiding, and quite a number of ladies being present. The
meeting was for the purpose of electing officers for the ensuing
year, and these are given here as probably being the last elected
officers of the old, or original association: Dr. A. M. Dockery,
president; Dr. J. W. Burton, vice-president;. J. T. Day, treasurer;
Homer Osborn, secretary; John P. Smith, corresponding secretary;
James M. Murrell, marshal. Miss Mattie Vance, Miss Maggie Brown, S.
M. Young and Thomas Cooper were appointed to furnish literary
entertainment for the next evening. Several committees were
appointed, among which was an important one, whose duty it was to
raise money with which to increase the number of books in the
library, and report at next meeting.
The association became disorganized the next winter, and the
publications belonging to it became scattered and have never been
recovered.
New Organization
A new organization was effected in 1878, a few persons getting
together and arranging by subscription for a few of the leading
publications, and exchanging the same with each other. This
arrangement was kept up for a year, when it was found better to
organize a society regularly, with such rules and regulations as
would best conserve the purpose in which they were engaged. Among
its rules was one levying an annual tax upon its members, to provide
means for securing such publications as the society might desire to
order, and for the binding of old publications owned by the society.
The list of publications secured by the society the present year
are: Frank Leslie's Weekly, The Eclectic Magazine, The Century,
Blackwood's, The Scientific American, Popular Science Monthly, The
Sunday Magazine, Harper's Weekly, Harper's Monthly, Harper's Young
People, The Phrenological Journal, and other leading publications.
The secretary has charge of the publications, and the members only
are allowed the use of them, and for a limited time. At the end of
the year they are all bound and preserved for the use of the
members.
The present society is in a flourishing condition and gradually
growing. Its rules can be changed or amended, by the proposed
amendment being pre-sented in writing, and is laid over until the
next meeting for action, and on presentation a. majority of votes
decides.
The officers of the association consist of a president, a
vice-president and a secretary, and the latter also acts as
librarian. They are elected annually and serve until their
successors are chosen.
The officers for the present year are: President, William M.
Bostaph; vice-president, Dr. J. T. Allen; and secretary, John B.
Williams.
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